5 Best IR Blaster aka TV Remote Apps for Android

Android is a versatile platform that allows OEMs to try out new hardware concepts. If you happen to own any decently specced Android device, you enjoy the benefits of a lot of sensors on it. One of them is the IR blaster, which has been part of high-end phones for a long time. Generally located on the top of your smartphone, it can control a lot of your home appliances that have remote control functionality built in. Your TV forms a major part of your appliance list and if you happen to lose its remote control, you can control it easily through your phone. However, you will need an IR Blaster aka TV Remote app that lets you do so.

So, coming up is a list of the best IR Blaster apps that let you control your TV or any other appliance, smartly from your phone:

Note: Your phone needs to have an IR sensor built in for the IR Blaster apps to work, obviously. You can check the availability of the sensor by going through the spec sheet of your device. You can also ensure its availability by looking for a small darkened piece of glass on top your device.

If you want an app that provides you with a comprehensive control over all your home appliances, then look no further. The Smart IR Remote – AnyMote app supports 9,00,000 devices and increasing, making it much more than just a TV remote app. You can control your Smart TVs, simple TVs, air conditioners, streaming devices and anything that has an IR sensor. Oh, and did we say that this also works with your home WiFi network to connect to your modern smart devices. It also lets you automate a stream of functions, i.e., switching on your TV will automatically switch on the set top box and your home theater system.

You can also use certain gestures to do specific actions, apply themes to remotes for individual pages and use the remote from any page through its floating remote widget. In short, it has been loaded with features to an extent that you will never need those analogue remotes. The app is available in a free version but it has limited features and you will have to buy the full version to unlock all the features.

2. Unified TV

If you are looking for an efficient TV remote app that does not make a hole in your pocket, you will like Unified TV. With the app, you get a comparatively lesser support for various appliances and devices (80+). But, it packs in a lot of smart features built right into it. For starters, it detects nearby devices with IR sensors (or devices on same network/ WiFi) automatically, which eradicates the need to search for your appliance manually. Then, you have widgets and home screen shortcuts, which makes accessing the remote way more easier.

You are also provided with Tasker and Flic integration along with NFC actions. At $0.99, it lacks a bit on devices supported but is a must buy if you want a functional TV remote app.

3. SURE Universal Remote for TV

The SURE Universal Remote for TV app is one of the few free IR remote apps that does its job very well. The app supports over 1 million devices, which is great considering some paid alternatives provide lesser device support than this. You have the option to use it with WiFi-control enabled smart devices with a WiFi-to-IR converter. But, the standout feature is the ability to stream content from your phone/tablet to your TV through WiFi and DLNA, which some of the paid alternatives lack.

It also lets you have a custom panel with custom buttons, tailored as per your needs. Overall, this is a worthy IR Blaster app to consider if you are looking for a free TV remote app.

4. Galaxy Universal Remote

The Galaxy Universal Remote is an app that is effective and efficient in what it claims. Like all the mentioned apps here, this also supports a lot of devices. What makes it unique though, is that it lets you build your own personalized remote and control all your devices from a single screen, in a free-form layout. You can also save a sequence of actions (macro) to be executed one by one along with the option to save your own custom IR code to a button.

There are neatly designed widgets that save you from the effort of opening the app constantly for an action. However, there’s one major drawback, that is, no support for WiFi enabled smart devices, which makes it an IR Blaster app only. However, try this out if you are looking for an TV remote app that works efficiently.

5. Peel Smart Remote TV Guide

Chances are, you must have heard of the Peel Smart Remote TV Guide app if you own a flagship device from the likes of Samsung or HTC. The Peel Smart Remote TV Guide combines the practicality of an IR Blaster remote app with the benefits of a digital TV/streaming service guide. Supporting more than 4,00,000 devices, it is easy to use and works fairly well. Plus, the app is smart, as it constantly learns your preferences and suggests you content based on your most viewed genre. You can set up reminders for your favorite shows and personalize your TV channel listings. As a TV remote app, it really is very well built. So, why does it sit on the fifth spot in our rankings? Well, that’s because the app features ads that can be very annoying.

Bonus:

Native/Pre-loaded IR Remote apps

If you happen to own a smartphone with an IR sensor that runs a custom version of Android, then you might find some native remote apps pre-loaded on your device. Generally developed by manufacturers, these have simple functions and are meant to blend with your system UI but may not provide many features. OEMs like Xiaomi and Samsung include their own remote app, the Mi Remote (Free) and Samsung TV & Remote (Free), respectively, in their phones while also providing them for free in the Play Store.

Also, some appliance brands require their own remote apps to make them work with your phone’s IR sensor. Apps like the LG TV Remote (Free) fall into this category and will work only on an LG TV.

Control your TV from Android with the Best TV Remote Apps

So, these are some of the IR blaster or TV remote apps that work very well. These surely make it easy to use your TV without the inconvenience of a separate remote controller. If you have an IR remote app pre-installed, you can check if those apps work efficiently or not. Because if they don’t, our list features thebest IR Blaster Apps you can get on Android. And, you can check out below some of the well-known Android devices that feature an IR sensor.

So, try them out and let us know how you like them. Also, if you feel we have missed out on some worthy TV remote app, do let us know in the comments section below.